Making
a name for yourself in the snowboarding industry is no easy task. It takes a special rider that battles on
through injury, never stops learning and pushes their limits. Twenty-one year old Stephanie Beaudry is a
rider from Pennsylvania that embodies and lives by those three ideals.
Picking
up a snowboard when she was twelve, Stephanie immediately took to the sport
modeling herself after her older sisters—them “looking like bad asses” is what
convinced her to learn in the first place.
Not being able to put the board down, and not to mention her fierce
determination, Stephanie quickly excelled and began doing competitions. Then in high school, Stephanie received an
offer that not many small town girls are lucky enough to be asked: to be a flow rider for
Skullcandy. Look and see what we learned
about Stephanie during our interview with the promising rider.
StoreYourBoard: Are you still a flow rider with Skull Candy?
Stephanie:
No I am no longer with Skull Candy my rep moved on to a new company. I’m currently working towards a relationship
with a new company. But I’m keeping that
on the DL because it's still in the works. But if everything goes as planned, I'll be their first national girl team rider!
StoreYourBoard:
That is awesome! How would it feel to be a team’s first girl rider?
Stephanie:
I would feel so honored and it would only make me want to excel my riding. Many riders get on teams and stop trying; I
feel it would just make me want to push the envelope.
StoreYourBoard:
Do you have any pre-competition rituals?
Stephanie:
I like to listen to fun music. It’s a must, if my music is off my whole
demeanor is off. I really enjoy underground hip-hop. Artists like Common or Atmosphere.
StoreYourBoard: Would you say you’re
superstitious?
Stephanie:
I try to stay away from stuff like that.
I used to have a problem where if my song wasn’t perfect, I’d have a bad run! So
I just tell myself have fun go with the flow.
StoreYourBoard:
What is your favorite type of competition?
Stephanie:
I do three types of competition – Big Air, Slopestyle, and Rail Jams. I’d have to say Big Air is my favorite. I love the idea of having a series of jumps
or maybe only one jump that you have to do your best trick on!
StoreYourBoard:
Do you have a famous snowboarder who inspires you?
Stephanie: Honestly, I don’t have one. Any person with the drive to try something
new, like snowboarding, motivates me.
StoreYourBoard: If someone was to ask you to teach him
or her to snowboard, what would you tell them?
Stephanie:
I'll give you 20 min and then you're off. It’s
all about forcing yourself to push your limits and keep with it no matter how
tough it gets. You can't be shown and just expect to get
it, you have to get up and do it as well.
StoreYourBoard: Have you sustained any injuries from
snowboarding?
Stephanie: Where should I start…I have cracked
ribs, sprained my wrist, bruised my tail bone, five concussions, two hospitalizations,
and one ambulance ride. Currently in my left hand I have two pins and a screw. Oh,
and I have the beginning stages of arthritis in my back hip.
StoreYourBoard: And none of that turns you off from
snowboarding?
Stephanie: Well my hand was a HUGE
blow, but when you wake up every day with it, it’s your drive. All my injuries have only pushed me more.
StoreYourBoard: I love that
you are passionate, do you think some riders ever lose track of that?
Stephanie: Of
course. They get into the party
lifestyle—smoke weed, drink, ride and they lose the purpose. I’ve seen so much amazing wasted talent.
However, Stephanie is not one of the “wasted talent’s” she
speaks of and doesn’t plan to be. The
mentality to never give up and to constantly learn new things about the sport
she loves is what will drive her to be the best snowboarder she can be. Currently going after her dream, Stephanie has moved to California to live at the bottom of the North Star Resort where she plans to compete this season and continue doing what she loves: snowboarding.
Ride On,
Colleen
